A specialised Search Engine Optimisation course created by Unitec Institute of Technology and New Zealand’s most awarded SEO company, Pure SEO (www.pureseo.co.nz), kicks off next month.

New Zealand’s first semester-long tertiary SEO course will help businesses recruiting in the digital marketing field by providing them with an accredited level of proficiency for current and future digital marketers. Course scope will cover SEO theory with practical applications, keyword research, SEO audits, content and off-page strategy.

Murray Bain, Dean of Unitec’s High Tech & Business Network, says it is the beginning of a suite of targeted digital marketing courses at Unitec under development with major and influential businesses.

“By working very closely with Pure SEO we have designed a course of study which genuinely reflects what is needed in the workforce. Our students will be ready to perform in the business environment immediately, and employers will know their staff are well-trained in exactly what they need to know.”

“We are hoping to attract marketers to the course who are already in the workforce and are looking to develop greater digital marketing skills as their businesses respond to a greater need to stand out from the crowd online.”

"This is another example of Unitec’s strong industry connectedness, working directly with employers to develop relevant, targeted education sought after by business,” says Murray.

Richard Conway, CEO of Pure SEO, explains that finding top SEO talent is difficult in New Zealand. "The idea behind the Unitec course is to educate students with cutting edge, real life digital knowledge and strategy. By doing this we hope to raise the bar for the whole of the digital marketing industry in New Zealand.”

The Unitec NZQA approved SEO course will begin in February and is timetabled for the executive 5:30-8:30pm time slot.